


Dark Before the Dawn

by 8makes1cheese



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Everyone Needs A Hug, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Sequel, Slow Dancing, they want to get married but it's the 1800s so uh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:08:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22448446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8makes1cheese/pseuds/8makes1cheese
Summary: Follows the events four years after San and Wooyoung's departure, Jongho and Yeosang's reunion, Yunho and Mingi's decision, and Hongjoong and Seonghwa's escape.*do not read if you haven't read The Ground You Walk On
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 5
Kudos: 69





	1. Woosan/Seongjoong

**Author's Note:**

> so instead of an epoligue i really made a whole sequel :) i'm lame

San hates to admit it, but he's lonely. 

It's not that Wooyoung isn't enough for him; he's more than enough. But San misses people. He misses being surrounded by smiling faces, hearing laughter and voices, he misses society in a way he never thought he would. 

Yeosang's house is beautiful, and it's set on a beautiful property. But it's far from any town, very out-of-the-way, and he and Wooyoung live alone. 

San knows what it is he wants, but he also knows that Wooyoung can't give it, and he doesn't want to hurt him by making him feel that he's lacking because of it. He keeps his concerns to himself. 

Maybe one day, the loneliness will pass. 

...flashback...

It's almost too dark to see. 

The storage room of the ship is crowded and bad-smelling. There are no lights, and very little clean air to breathe. The two of them are crowded at the back of the room, out of sight from the doorway, cramped, uncomfortable and in pain. Stowaways. Hongjoong can hardly believe he's doing this again. 

"I'm afraid," Seonghwa whispers. 

It's their third day here. Hongjoong is already wondering if they should have just let Seonghwa's family ruin their lives instead. He's in so much pain he can barely move. 

"I am too, love. Do you want to talk about it?" 

"I don't." Seonghwa rests his head on Hongjoong's shoulder. "I just want... I want it to end. Soon." 

"Me too, darling. Me too." Hongjoong kisses the top of Seonghwa's head, sighing quietly. "Your hair is growing, I think." 

He can't see Seonghwa's face, but he imagines the taller is smiling. "Is it really?" 

"A little." Hongjoong wraps an arm around him. The ship lurches slightly, and Seonghwa shudders. 

There's a silence. Then Seonghwa speaks in a rush. 

"This isn't a good place for it at all, but-" 

"The room is locked, Hwa, and they only open it once a week. They opened it yesterday. We're safe." 

"It's exercise anyway," Seonghwa murmers, then giggles. 

They climb quietly to their feet and move to the open part of the room. Hongjoong feels around in the dark and puts his hand on Seonghwa's hip. 

He bits his lip. "This is going to be really awkward." 

Seonghwa giggles again. "I know." 

Hongjoong place his other hand on Seonghwa's shoulder. Seonghwa's hands find their place as well. 

"To the right, first," Seonghwa says softly. 

Hongjoong is hit suddenly by the humor of the situation. They're probably going to die, stowing away illegally on a ship, running from people who want to tear them apart, and of all things, they're dancing. 

That's the beauty of life, Hongjoong supposes. It doesn't make any sense sometimes. 

Seonghwa inhales. Hongjoong knows what's coming. He closes his eyes. 

"I love you." 

He opens his mouth, then closes it again. Can he really say it? 

He can. He feels it at last, it doesn't hurt; there's nothing on earth that can hold him back. "I love you too." 

Even in the darkness, he can sense Seonghwa's smile. 

...

Wooyoung can tell something is wrong. 

San hasn't been avoiding him, exactly, but he's been acting strange for a while now. Wooyoung can't stand it anymore. 

He confronts San in the corridor leading from the door, placing both hands on his shoulders and looking him in the eye. 

"San," he says, voice firm. "What's going on?" 

San looks up with fear in his eyes. Fear. He's looking at Wooyoung with fear. 

Wooyoung lets go and backs up abruptly, heart pounding. "I'm sorry." 

"It's all right!" San catches Wooyoung's hand. "I should... I need to talk to you." 

They sit on the floor, not bothering to move even a little from where they were standing. 

"To put it simply into words," San says, "I wanted a child." 

Wooyoung's breath catches. 

"I can't give you that." 

"I know." San smiles at him. "And that's why I've considered, and I've realized I don't need a child; all I need is company. I need people, Wooyoung. Conversation. I can't stay alone and away from everyone forever. I love you, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I just... I miss society, honestly." San sighs. 

Wooyoung swallows. "So do I. But I believe you've forgotten something." 

San tilts his head. "What have I forgotten?" 

Wooyoung smiles slightly. "That this house was a gift from someone. How would you like a visit from one Kang Yeosang?"


	2. second

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ......

Yeosang doesn't visit alone. 

When he steps through the door, he's arm in arm with another man, broad and youthful-looking with friendly eyes and silky dark hair. He's followed by two figures Wooyoung knows. 

Song Mingi and Jeong Yunho. 

"Wooyoung!" Yeosang greets him with a hug. "This is Jongho, you may or may not have met him before. You probably know Mingi and Yunho somehow." 

"I do." Wooyoung smiles faintly. "How are you all? Are you tired? Thirsty?" 

He brings them all water and invites them to sit down. "San went out to town last night to get our mail. He was very tired when he returned and is still asleep." Yeosang nods in understanding, and Jongho says casually, "That's all right. Let the man rest if he needs it." 

Wooyoung stares again at the stack of mail. He had sorted through it this morning and found a letter with no name and an address he didn't recognize, but he has yet to tell San of it. He tears his gaze away and smiles at the guests. 

"Shall I show you all to your rooms?" 

...

The ground is cold and hard. 

It's early in the morning. The sky is still dark and the stars are out. Clouds cover the moon, and Hongjoong and Seonghwa are running, hand in hand, away from the water where the ship is. Voices can be heard in the distance, but no one bothers to follow them. It's possible they weren't even seen. 

Hongjoong gasps and collapses on the ground, out of sight from the harbor. Seonghwa falls to his knees beside him and wraps the smaller man in his arms, heart beating fast in his chest, breath visible on the cold air. They've made it so far only to die of cold. Hongjoong goes limp, ready to give up. 

"I love you," Seonghwa says.

It doesn't warm him physically, but a shudder runs through Hongjoong and he forces himself to keep breathing. Seonghwa loves him. "I love you too." 

They pull themselves to their feet again and stumble along the dark path through up the hill, towards the small trading town set against the horizon, looking hopelessly far away. Seonghwa's hand is icy, but his grip is still firm, and Hongjoong feels safe with him. They can make it if they're together. He trusts the other completely. 

It seems like hours before they arrive. Seonghwa pulls Hongjoong into a small, abandoned shack with a single cot on the ground and a pile of dry hay. He pulls two rocks from his pocket and strikes them together, hoping for a spark. 

It takes a long time, but Seonghwa starts a fire, then falls back against the cot and sighs. Hongjoong, sitting up next to him, looks around cautiously, unsure where he's expected to sleep. 

He feels Seonghwa's hands on his hips, then the taller's arms are around his waist. Hongjoong is pulled gently backward to lie with his head on Seonghwa's chest. He mumbles, "Am I suffocating you?" 

Seonghwa's laugh warms Hongjoong's heart. "You don't weigh very much, darling. I'll be fine." 

He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep almost immediately, not even caring about what will happen if they're found. His last thought is of the envelope Seonghwa slipped into the mail bin on the ship, bound for the home they just left behind. 

...

San wakes up aching all over. 

He pulls himself up out of bed and winces, struggling into his stockings and down the stairs. Wooyoung is curled up on the sofa, and he looks up and smiles, eyes sparkling. 

"Our guests are here," he says. 

San frowns. "Guests?" 

"Yeosang, Jongho, Mingi and Yunho." Wooyoung stops. "Dearest, are you all right?" 

San shakes his head, tears welling up in his eyes. He doesn't even know what's wrong, but he hurts all over, like every inch of his body has been beaten by spiked clubs. 

"Come here." Wooyoung opens his arms and San gladly falls into them, letting his eyelids flutter shut. Wooyoung's embrace is warm, and it soothes San's pain just a little. He murmers a soft "I love you" before he falls back asleep, and hears the echo in Wooyoung's gentle voice. 

It's all right now.


	3. third

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's over :,) the story of the ground you walk on is really over 
> 
> *sobs* thank you all for reading <3

It's unbelievable to Hongjoong that he and Seonghwa have built a life on the island. 

He had expected to, at best, freeze to death. At worst, be found and dragged back to the mainland, for Seonghwa's father to find them and take Seonghwa away from him. 

He had not expected to find a job and a home, friends and a steady lifestyle. Their secret remains hidden, but it's all right, as long as they don't have to hide behind locked doors, too terrified to even show their faces. 

Hongjoong smiles as he climbs the steps, knocking on the door and entering with a call of "I'm home!" He hears footsteps, and soon Seonghwa appears, a glowing smile already gracing his features just from hearing Hongjoong's voice. 

"I missed you, love," he says, planting a kiss on the corner of Hongjoong's mouth. "How was your day?" 

"It was all right." Hongjoong sighs as he sinks down onto the sofa, Seonghwa taking his place next to him. "Tiring. How was yours?" 

He lays his head on Seonghwa's thigh, closing his eyes. 

"Uneventful," Seonghwa laughs softly. He begins to gently run his hands through Hongjoong's hair. 

They lie in silence for a while. Hongjoong can hear Seonghwa's breathing, and it reminds him of the cold night spent on the cot in the shack with barely any heat. He shivers slightly. 

"Are you all right?" 

"I'm fine, darling, don't worry." 

He wants to marry Seonghwa. 

Hongjoong has always been one to chase after the impossible. He's always made goals he could never reach, always dreamed dreams that could never come true. But this one hurts. It hurts to know it will never happen, to know that they live in a world where it would be crazy to even imagine it. Yet Hongjoong does imagine. It's in his nature. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" 

Hongjoong sighs. "I wish it was...." 

He stops. I wish it was different. I wish I could marry you. 

"I love you." 

He can sense Seonghwa's smile. "I love you too." 

....

San finishes rereading the letter from Seonghwa for the tenth time and sets it away. 

He stands slowly, still aching. He's concluded after two weeks that the pain will never leave, and that he'll have to learn to live with it. Wooyoung cried so hard when he heard this, it broke San's heart. His tears were like little pearly raindrops. 

Wooyoung looks at him now, love and pity written in his expression. San smiles at him. "Sweetheart, don't feel sorry. It's nothing." 

Wooyoung doesn't respond except to stand, cross the room and wraps his arms around San. He's warm and familiar and he feels like home. San's smile widens. 

"I'm in love with you, you know," he says. 

Wooyoung giggles. "So I've been told." 

San turns to kiss him. The pain always feels so much fainter when they're together. 

Wooyoung, he supposes, is his cure. 

...

Yeosang barely survives the ride home. 

Yunho and Mingi take every opportunity to kiss, caring nothing for the other two. Jongho and Yeosang get their revenge whenever they can. 

It's dark right now, nearly morning. Yeosang thinks he may be the only one awake. He stares up at the stars and says quietly, "Thank you." 

He hears someone stir. Jongho's head comes to rest on his shoulder and he responds, "Thank you, too." 

Dawn creeps across the horizon, and Yeosang is truly happy. 

Thank you, he says in his head. 

He thinks he hears the wind whisper its answer. 

Thank you, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end was really hard to write?????? lmao


End file.
